Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is hosting a radon educational event on Jan. 23 at 6pm at its Stateline office.

Free test kits will be available for Nevada residents at the presentation. Test kits can also be purchased at low-cost for out-of-state residents.

For those who cannot attend a presentation, free radon test kits are also available at Cooperative
Extension offices and partner offices statewide through Feb. 28.

January is National Radon Action Month.

Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. It comes from the
ground and can accumulate in homes, raising the risk of lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency  estimates 21,000 Americans die each year from radon-caused lung cancer, killing more
people than secondhand smoke, drunk driving, falls in the home, drowning or house fires.

In Nevada, one in four homes tested show radon concentrations at or above the EPA action level. In
Stateline, the potential is higher, as 70 percent of the homes tested had an elevated radon level.

According to experts, living in a home with radon concentrations at the action level poses as much risk of
developing lung cancer as smoking about half a pack of cigarettes a day.